99 pnp men sacked for drug use

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald De la Rosa has approved the dismissal of 99 policemen who tested positive for illegal drugs use, the chief of the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS) said on Friday.

At the same time, Alfegar Triambulo said 40 others have been recommended for dismissal from the service for the same offense.

“So next week, the names of the 40 will come out. It will be submitted to chief PNP. Based on civil service rule, use of drugs (merits) dismissal. It is a grave offense so you cannot divide the penalty of dismissal, that is provided by the rules,” he said during a news conference at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Triambulo said the PNP chief has already signed the IAS recommendation to dismiss the 99 policemen after they failed the confirmatory drug test. These were among 198 PNP members who tested positive for drugs use particularly shabu.

Officials said some of those who tested positive in the mandatory tests have already been booted out of the service while others are undergoing dismissal proceedings.

De la Rosa has ordered mandatory drug testing for all PNP uniformed and civilian personnel as part of the organization’s internal cleansing even as he vowed to dismiss anyone who will test positive.

The PNP has stopped its anti-drug war operations and shifted its focus on misfits and scalawags in the police organization in the aftermath of the abduction and murder of South Korean executive Jee Ick-joo.

Jee was abducted from his home in Angeles, Pampanga on October 18 under the guise of a legitimate Oplan Tokhang and brought by police officers to Camp Crame where he was killed.

Oplan Tokhang and Project Double Barrel, according to De la Rosa would be suspended indefinitely as the PNP leadership would concentrate in cleansing the police ranks.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has taken over the government’s anti-drug operations.